Saving the Enemy
by SPNoelle
Summary: How can you save the person you dislike more than anything, especially when she has captured the attention of the man you love? Set after The Girl in the Fireplace. The Doctor has always had a habit of mismanaging things - what happens when that mismanagement causes him and Reinette to be captured? It's up to Rose to save the day.
1. Rasigul

"Madame de Pompadour! Still want to see those stars?" He could see her on the other side, her thick skirts brushing at the marble as she angled to peer through to him as well. "More than anything," Reinette answered with a breathlessness that had him stirring in excitement. It was always a rush to take someone on a new adventure. And Reinette deserved one. He flashed her his wide smile, eyes sparking, and told her, "Give me two minutes. Pack a bag."

"Am I going somewhere," she called to him.

"Go to the window. Pick a star, any star."

It actually took ten minutes for the TARDIS to land inside her room. The quarters were tight enough, but he was able to settle on the other side of her bed with ease. She swung around with shock, then bubbled out a giggle as she rushed to him, landing a kiss on those delightfully curved lips of his. Neither of them took note of Rose, who stood behind the Doctor, jaw slack and eyes glassed over. Only Micky noticed how his former girlfriend clenched her hands before she stormed off to her room. He tried not to focus on the two kissing right outside of the door, but finally had no choice but to call out, "All right, you two. Just going to stand there and snog while the rest of us stand about? I thought we was getting out of here, not picking up another passenger."

The Doctor broke from Reinette's grasp with a quick pull for air, face flushed, and offered Mickey that smug look he was prone to give. "I got to snog her twice," he stated. Mickey gave him an odd look. The Doctor merely shrugged and draped his arm around Reinette's back as he drew her inside. "Come on, Reinette. Have you got that bag? Bah, never mind, it doesn't matter. The TARDIS will see to whatever you need. It's time to see those stars!"

At his console again, he began to tap buttons and push levers. The machine began its churning as it faded from France and back into space. "Now then, Rose." It was the first time he realized she had disappeared. He frowned at the room, baffled. "Where'd she get off to, then? She was standing right here, wasn't she?"

Mickey gave him an uneasy look. "Went off to her rooms, I think," he muttered, then decided, "I think I'll go and do the same. I reckon you'll be wanting to ..." He didn't finish the rest of what it was the Doctor wanted to do, but made his escape before any more questions were put forward to him. No way was he going to get tangled in this mess again. He resented the Doctor enough, and now he was bringing another woman on board? He didn't have to spell trouble out for the Doctor. That man seemed to step into it on his own.

The Doctor tapped a few more buttons, then grabbed for Reinette's hand. She instantly attached herself to his arm, her smile warm and eyes soft. "You promised the stars," she reminded him. That got a twitch of his mouth, but his expression remained serious. "So I did. Let's get you settled in and I'll find Rose for you."

* * *

 _How could he? It was enough that he had abandoned them, but now he was dragging along this little historic fluff to woo right in front of her?_ Rose squeezed at her temple as a throb responded behind her red eyes. She thought she had lost him, that he was stuck in time! That they were all stuck. Now he was dragging Madame de Pompadour off into space, and completely forgotten about her. Again! She gave the frame of her bed a small kick. "Smarmy git," she growled, miserable. How easily he forgot about her, time after time. She was starting to understand what it was Sarah Jane had been talking about. He forgot them far too easily, always ready for the next big adventure. Maybe he had outgrown Rose finally, and thought Reinette was the next big adventure. Would he leave her on some floating ship off in space, too? Would he completely lose sight of everyone else just to focus on his next conquest, leaving them abandoned next time as well?

She rubbed her hand across her heart. And here she had thought she meant something to him. She didn't want to admit that she'd been frightened, waiting in space for him to come back and save them. This was the first time the Doctor had ever really made her feel alone while she was with him.

"Rose?" The Doctor tapped at her door, then again when she failed to answer. She warred with opening the door, but finally did so after his third knock. His friendly expression melted off at her red eyes. He instantly became uncomfortable. "Ah, I got Reinette settled in. Think you'd mind helping her with clothing and the sort? I was thinking of taking her off to the third moon of Rasigul, let her see the beaches and the like. What do you say?"

"Yeah. Sure. Fine," she answered stiffly.

He drew back as if to leave, put off by her coolness, but he refused to let it alone. "You all right?"

She fixed him with an icy look, one that did make him retreat this time. Her silence put him off. She was so full of heat and flames, and now this coldness threw him. Ruffling his hair, he made to leave her to her sulking. "Right, I'll leave you to it, then."

"I thought you were gone," she finally said in a hiss. She ignored the heat behind her eyes, refusing to cry in front of him. "We were stuck on that stupid ship with no idea where you were, or what you were doing."

"Rose." He made a gesture of impatience. "I had everything under control."

Wiping at the stray tear that leaked down her cheek, she shook her head. "She was right about you," she said, arms tightly folded. He paused, confused by what that meant. Who was right? About what? He stared at her, then tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat, sulking his way back to the front of the TARDIS. Women ...

Once he'd gone, Rose took a moment to calm herself. She was going to have to be nice to this woman, and she didn't want to. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with her. Why couldn't the TARDIS just chuck her off at the next galaxy and ... Rose stopped herself. That was mean. She didn't like the woman, but she had to admit that Reinette had no idea Rose was in love with the Doctor. Just like Reinette couldn't help the Doctor's feelings, or lack thereof. That was the hard pluck of the whole symphony, wasn't it? Rose was going to have to admit that the Doctor had enjoyed their flirtations, but the feelings were apparently all one-sided in the end.

"You're not going to sulk over him, either," she told herself, preferring to let anger win out over misery. "Let him be a prat and make an idiot of himself over her."

It took her some time to find Reinette's room, and there was a small, nasty side of her that was relieved to see Reinette's bed was a single, though still opulent. The blankets were turned back, revealing a soft shade of pink. In fact, everything about the room was lovely if small, except for the marble fireplace, which Reinette seemed to be standing far from. Maybe the TARDIS was on Rose's side after all. When Reinette spotted her, obvious relief broke out. "Oh, did the Doctor find you, then? He said I should look at the garments, but they are all so ... odd!" She gave a breathy laugh, one that Rose was starting to hate. "He suggested I try to dress as you do." The look she gave Rose, however, suggested she would rather die first. "I'm not sure what style that would be considered. Would you help me?"

With a roll of her eyes, Rose yanked the closet open to begin digging dresses out. "You don't have to dress like me," she stressed. "But you can't go around in all those hoop skirts, either. You'll have to learn to dress more accommodatingly to the place. You need to wear thinner clothes."

"The Doctor doesn't seem to mind how I'm dressed. Besides, this is all the rage in Paris."

"Yeah, well, we're not in Paris and it's not the 1740s," Rose responded cattily. She crossed her arms, fighting the urge to glare. "Look, he has a big plan of going somewhere exotic for you. It's going to be warmer than you can handle in what you're wearing. You'll need something light. Trust me on this." She tried to lighten her mood, even offered a smile as she whipped around to dig through the clothes. "Here, try this. I bet he has plans on showing you the sights, taking you somewhere lovely to eat at." The Edwardian dress she pulled out was thinner, made of satin and lace, and seemed more demure than the elegant concoction Reinette was currently wearing. "It's not perfect, but it'll be lovely on you."

"That looks like a night dress."

Rose drew the dress back, then explained pointedly, "It's the rage of England in the early 1900s." Reinette flushed and gave the dress a doubtful frown in answer. "You have been with the Doctor for quite some time, so I trust your judgment. Is there another layer to wear with this one?"

"Hmm, no. There's a shawl to use in the evening when it cools, but that's all." She could tell Reinette was warring with her decision to trust Rose's pick. The other woman finally accepted the dress with a weak, "You would know best," and went to change. Rose tried to keep her smile pasted, but it was already wilting. Now she was helping to dress the Doctor's date and setting them up for a night of romance?

She always knew he was the flighty sort. He would dash into mayhem at a moment's call, and often got so involved in that moment that he forgot everything else. She had always enjoyed that about him, though. He had never really forgotten her, though, not like this. Or maybe it was that she'd never paid attention, because there was never another woman. Well, that wasn't completely true, either. There had been Sarah Jane, but that had been different. Wasn't it? Sarah Jane had been trying to tell her that he couldn't be held back, couldn't be tamed. Rose thought she had understood what Sarah Jane had meant then. Clearly, she hadn't.

"There now, what do you think?" Reinette swept out some time later, obviously more delighted with the dress than she'd thought she would be. She swept her fingers over the lace trimming at her decolletage. The soft hues of blue brought out Reinette's eyes. The ivory lace laid softly against her skin and gave it a quiet glow. Without all those thick skirts, it was easy to see how trim and lithe of figure Reinette was. Rose could feel her heart trying to break as she answered, "You look beautiful."

* * *

They landed on Rasigul in the early evening hours, just as the suns were beginning their descent and the colors on the beach were starting to pop. The Doctor had decided they should all first explore the beach with its aquamarine sand and unique shells before the ventured into the actual city. Reinette was, of course, attached to his arm while Mickey and Rose listed behind. The wind was warm as it blew over them, and lapped at the iridescent, foaming water that lay ahead, sending a floral smell into the air. Reinette spun about with excitement as she took in the scenery, reaching for the Doctor again to press a kiss to his jaw. Rose watched with a dull expression, then forced herself to look away.

"You all right," Mickey asked once the others were too far ahead to hear. In answer, Rose just nodded. He frowned, set his arm around her shoulder, and suggested, "How 'bout we break off from the group and we go look for our own kind of fun? Who knows, maybe there's something normal about this place. Maybe get in trouble and all that" It got a laugh out of her, though it was weak.

"How are we going to pay for any kind of fun around here," she asked. "Besides, you know the Doctor. He doesn't want us to wander off."

"Oh, that's easy," Mickey told her. "Doctor gave me these." He brandished some odd strips of metal as he explained, "He said it's their type of currency. He called them qualmaar or some'ing like that." She took one of the strips to study. Like everything else, it had an iridescent sheen to it. When she flipped it over, there was a holographic image that resonated off the material and into the air. The image seemed to bow to them no matter which way she turned the strip. "Hard to say what it's made of, too," she commented. "There's nothing like this on Earth, is there?"

Mickey pulled the strip out of her hand. "I say we look for some food, try everything, and see what them alien drinks is like."

Again, Rose laughed and allowed him to pull her away from the others. Rose meant to call back and let the Doctor know they were going their own way, but he was so wrapped up in explaining the reason the sky remained a purplish hue.

The Moon of Rasigul was laid out almost like a carnival, with all teems of life moving around. Rose pointed out the different kinds to Mickey, explaining those she knew, His only upset had been when a Kastrian brushed by him. He had paled exceedingly when the Kastrian had favored him with a threatening look. "D-did you see that," he gasped at her, grabbing hold of her shoulders.

"She was flirting with you," Rose told him cheekily. Mickey looked relieved at first, then horrified. Rose found herself laughing more freely than she had in the past two days, and teased him about it the whole way to a small restaurant within the carnival grounds. He tried some green meat roasted on a stick and she opted for the safe meyamut pie. "Tastes like chicken," Mickey pronounced after that first testing bite. She didn't have the heart to tell him he was eating the genitals of the animal.

By then, the moon turned away from the suns, and the bright lights soon had the place glowing with that beautiful iridescent sheen. The stars filled the purpling sky with thick diamond clusters. Rose gasped, reaching upward as if she could pluck one from the sky. "They're so close. Closer than I've ever seen before. And we've been really close to them."

"Yeah. Kind of makes me homesick in a way." Mickey stared at her with a frown, then asked, "We never looked at the stars, did we?"

She gave him an odd look as she answered, "I guess not. Why do you ask?"

"I dunno. I was just thinking maybe if I did, we would be ... you know. S'kind of romantic and all out here." He wouldn't quite look at her as he was saying this, but at her shoulder instead. She knew what he was getting at, all the same. "Maybe if I had done romantic things, like brought you flowers or paid you more attention, you wouldn't be moping after him. You'd be with me on Earth again. Maybe we'd be happy." He definitely wouldn't look at her now. His shoes had become far too interesting.

"Maybe," she answered, afraid to say more and hurt him all over again. Instead, she rose to her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "But I'm happy you're here with me right now, too. Doctor or no."

She could tell by the defeat in his eyes that he got the point. She couldn't care about him the same way. Taking his hand, she pulled him toward the edge of the street where the lights were softer. "So, you've tried a new kind of meat." She grinned when he went pale again, her tongue caught between her teeth. "And you flirted with a Kastrian, plus had Rasigulian punch."

"Don't remind me," he complained, hand to his stomach. The punch hadn't set well with him. It felt like fire tickling him from the inside. "What next?"

"Next, we try their idea of a ride," she decided, giving a pull to the sleeve of his shirt. "They use air vacuums to move you through tunnels at a fast speed, looks like, but it's safe. The pressure is constant so you don't go slamming into the sides." She pointed to where one of the more adventurous was hoisted up to the tunnel, then sucked through at a near violent speed. She was off like a shot. Mickey went pale again and Rose couldn't stop laughing.

While Rose and Mickey went tube riding through the air pressured maze, Reinette and the Doctor stood on the edge of the beach. He had talked relentlessly about Rasigul, answering her questions about the types of alien that resided there. He fell on stories of past visits, and of similar planets, delighted by how fascinated she was with the whole topic. She looked beautiful, her hair set in a chignon with curls loose around her face, the gown fluttering in the soft, warm breeze. "What do you think of your first trip to the stars, Madame de Pompadour?"

"It's amazing here. I can see why you like coming to this place. It's an escape." She turned her soft gaze back to him as she asked, "Is that why you brought me here? You thought I needed an escape?"

He gave a mere shrug in response, but couldn't help adding, "You had the eyes of Paris and clockwork on you almost all your life. I thought maybe you'd like to go someplace where you wouldn't feel all those eyes on you."

Her answer was a winsome grin as she tapped his arm lightly with her palm. "You forget that I will still have eyes on me."

"Yeah, but now they'll be thinking of your beauty, not what part of your body is useful for their ship." She glanced away with a troubled frown. "Ah, sorry. I didn't think-"

"No, you're right. It is a relief," she told him. "But let's not talk of France or clockworks. I would rather you show me more of this interesting moon and tell me more stories of your adventures. You have led such an interesting life, child of the stars."

"I've only told you a few. There are countless. There was one time Rose and I ..." he suddenly remembered they were supposed to be four, not to, and looked around the beach. "Always wondering off, what is it with them? Where's Rose and Mickey?"

"Oh, I saw them heading toward the bright lights over that way," she told him, pointing to the carnival grounds. He angled his head with irritation. "When did they go," he asked, and was shocked when she said, "A couple of hours ago, I think."

He flushed at the realization that he hadn't even took notice of Rose or Mickey since bringing Madame de Pompadour onto the TARDIS. "I suppose we should join them," he suggested. Reinette took hold of his arm, her gaze fixed on his face in an adoring way that he would have enjoyed if that little niggling moment of shame hadn't fixed in the back of his mind. Things had gotten messy on that ship, and he probably had some explaining to do. He hated explanations, though. If humans could just wrap their stupid little minds around the bigger picture, he wouldn't have to go around explaining his actions. Of course, he'd never had to explain himself to Rose all that much. She'd always just gone along with things, he admitted to himself. He had gotten used to her just going along with whatever he did.

He heaved a great, exaggerated sigh. "Let's go find the missing humans."

* * *

"I think I want to head back to the TARDIS, Mickey. It's getting late."

They had been out and about nearly three hours with no sign of the Doctor or Reinette. She hated to admit it hurt that he hadn't bothered to look for them. So, she had thrown herself into everything - from trying out Byzantine - a type of tag played by hurling exploding balloons at your opponent to knock them to the ground - to winning a singing flower bush from being able to say Raxacoricofallapatorius correctly. She'd had fun! It just wasn't the same without the Doctor. Much as she hated to admit it, that little ball of unhappiness had spread out as the evening had moved on. Now that they were down to their last few qualmaar, she wanted to return to her room, take a long bath, and try to clear her mind out again.

With both of their arms laden down with their prizes, they headed back to the police box to stow their new items away. Mickey came around to her room shortly after, leaning against the door. "Neither one of them are back yet. You want to go find some food? I'm getting hungry again."

"You stay hungry," she retorted affectionately. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Maybe we can pop on one of those movies he got from the outskirt planets. They're supposed to be really good."

"They don't have subtitles, do they," he asked in worry.

"Mickey, we're on the TARDIS. There's no need for subtitles," she reminded him with a lopsided smile.

"Oh. Oh yeah, I forgot it does that thing." He returned her smile as he told her, "Don't be long. I'll meet you in thirty minutes."

The beauty of the TARDIS was that you never knew what you were going to find. Sometimes she wondered if it beamed into her head to figure out what she wanted, or if it had accommodated others before her in the same style. Either way, she was able to sink into a nice bubble bath for twenty blissful minutes before dressing in comfortable clothes to meet with Mickey in the entertainment room, as the Doctor so proudly called it. She pushed all thoughts of the Doctor out of her head as she settled in for some action movies.


	2. The Parade

"Doctor, I don't think they're here," Reinette told him for what had to have been the tenth time at this point. He looked frenzied at this point, his fingers digging through his hair so it now spiked crazily. They had searched back and forth, and had asked around if others had seen them. What had been a pleasurable evening was now turning into chaos as the Doctor realized he had done the very thing he'd promised Jackie he'd never do - he had failed to protect Rose.

"They can't just disappear," he told Reinette irritably. "You stupid humans, always doing this. When I say to stay somewhere, no one ever listens." She stared at him, shocked, her mouth pressed into a firm line. He almost apologized, but that irritated him more. "They're probably at the TARDIS already, and we missed them. That's all." He turned about, fighting through the crowd to head in the opposite direction. Reluctant at first, Reinette finally followed after him. He was understandably upset to lose his two companions, but she thought it beneath him to snap at her in such a way. She would be sure to tell him once they reached the TARDIS.

He found them in the media room, snuggled up together beneath a large blanket with a bowl of popcorn between them. It was innocent, really, but he glared at Mickey nonetheless. "Were either of you going to tell me that you had wandered off," he asked them sharply. Rose slowly unraveled herself from beneath the blanket, a popped kernel still in her hand. "You were busy," she told him, "and you said it was safe there. How many times have you wandered off and left us to follow?"

He made a dismissive sound. "Is that what this is about? You're angry at me?"

"No, I'm not, actually." She gave Mickey an apologetic look as she exited the room, forcing the Doctor to follow after. Once in the corridor, she told him in a low voice, "You were with Reinette, I was with Mickey. We were safe, like you said, so I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem, Rose Tyler, is that you could have gotten lost. Something could have happened."

"Like having fun?" She drummed up a laugh she didn't really feel. "Doctor, I can't ... I can't follow you around all the time and expect that you'll deign to notice me." She stopped herself. She didn't want to have this conversation, but it seemed she would have no choice. "I left to have fun, just as you were having fun with Reinette. I needed to enjoy myself. Is that so bad? Time after time, I have stuck at your back, but this time I went off alone. Not even alone, I was with Mickey. What if I had gone off with you instead? How do I even know you were going to be there? What if something had happened and you left again? Would you have come back? Do I know that you would? That you won't just up and leave again? I'm not going to stick myself in the TARDIS and wait to see when you might show up. If you disappeared again, then I would figure things out. If I get left behind, then I do. I'll miss my mum, yeah, and I'll miss Earth, but I'd rather be dropped off at a planet I could try and live on instead of some airship that was lost out in the cold like last time."

He snorted. "I wouldn't leave you behind, Rose. I wouldn't leave you in that kind of danger, either."

She frowned in answer as she said, "Are you sure about that? I wouldn't be the first." There was a look of guilt from him in answer. She nodded, saying, "I'm not angry with you, but I don't exactly trust you, either. I'm going back to my movie. Let me know if we're taking off yet."

The Doctor glared after Rose in agitation, tempted to strike something to release some frustration. That wasn't him, though. He didn't use fists, he didn't use weapons. He was a tactical man. And tactics is what he needed to remedy this mess. Reinette found him shortly after, pacing around the console, his fists shoved into his pockets, glasses perched on his nose. "Doctor, is something amiss?"

"Not a thing," he assured her, his smile on the edge of fierce. "We're going into the capitol tomorrow, the four of us. We're going to see the festival. You might like it, since some of their architecture could almost be Parisian in design. They'll have some dresses you might like. Or some shoes." He made a dismissive gesture, his mind still wound about Rose and earning her trust again. When Reinette approached, he didn't favor her with that indulgent grin she was used to receiving from him. He instead glanced away.

"What is it, Doctor? Why are you so troubled?"

It wasn't in him to be open with others, not really. Not since Rose, and he held back even from her. It was ingrained in him. Nonetheless, he found himself telling Reinette, "I left her there. I didn't think about her. Or Mickey. I just left off to chase after those clockwork. She didn't know what I was thinking or doing, because I always know. This time I really didn't. I left her for five hours, scared, on some remote spaceship."

"You were saving me."

The Doctor glanced at her. "Yeah, I was, and I'd do it again. I shouldn't have done that to Rose, though. I shouldn't have abandoned her like that and made her think she isn't important."

"Because you love her?"

The Doctor glanced at Reinette, but didn't answer. "I know a nice spot along the water that we can dine at before the parades begin. There's nothing like a Rasiguli parade, you know. The banners will be hard to understand, I'm sure, but the colors are amazing. There'll be some you never realized existed, too. It should be warm again tomorrow, so you may want to consider light clothes again."

"Doctor." She could see he was hurting, could feel it when her hand touched his. Such a lost boy, always running away. "You don't have to run away from the truth, Doctor." Gently, she kissed him, sorrowful. "I look forward to tomorrow. Good night." He gave her a wary, but saddened, look in return as she drew away.

He had promised to show her the stars, and here he was making a mess of that promise. She should be awed by the different rooms the TARDIS harbored. She should be gazing at the majestic skies of New Earth. She should see the delights that the heavens could unfold, and then she should be tucked safely back beside the king, happily living her life as Madame de Pompadour while he and Rose went back to exploring the whole of the universe. He folded his arms up and continued pacing. Humans were such problems, sometimes he wondered why he bothered with them. He gave a small kick to the console, and the TARDIS hummed in irritation. "Oh sure, turn on me, too, why don't you?"

* * *

The streets of the capitol were filled with so many life forms that Reinette clung to the Doctor, frustrating both him and Rose. However, he couldn't very well shake her off. He was too polite to do so. The Parisian mistress had opted for her thick skirts again, and was suffering for it. She hung onto his arm, making vague comments about the scenery around them. She was too polite to confess that this strange world both frightened and disgusted her. There were bugs crawling on everything, but no one seemed to bother with them. Her lack of interest annoyed the Doctor greatly. Rose, on the other hand, was dressed in her usual jeans and t-shirt, and was exuberant in describing the races that she knew in a soft voice to the others. The Doctor would fill in here and there with more information as needed. Pretty soon, Reinette and Mickey were forgotten as the two began to laugh about the Emperor of Gat and his propensity for farting. "I thought he was a Slitheen," Rose explained. "But I didn't know how he could be that short. Plus his head was all wrong."

"They are related, actually, but they've had centuries to both evolve from each other. The gravity on Gat is so dense, it compressed their bodies over time until they became a shorter, thinner version of the Slitheen. They're just as lethal, but the females don't have the darts in their fingers. They have it..." he looked pointedly at Rose, wiggling his brows. She giggled in reaction. "They use it on males for copulation. It won't kill them, just knock them out. Otherwise, the males are brutally rough, for being so short. Don't think the males don't like it. Who doesn't like a little nooky now and then?" He paused with a grimace, adding on, "Remind me never to use that word again."

"I'll remember," she assured him, then gasped in excitement as bright fireworks went off across them. These danced, they hummed, and played intriguing music as they swam around the sky. "What are those?"

"They're bugs. Beetles to be exact," he explained. "This is a mating ritual for them. They will swim around in the sky, singing, until they find their mate. You'll know when they do, because they turn red and explode. That releases their shells, which they'll grow back after-"

"After nooky," Rose couldn't help interjecting, tongue in cheek. His grin answered hers. "Something like that, yeah," he answered. "They grow the shells back, and the ones that are dropped are swept up and used in everything you see around here. That's what gives off that iridescent glow."

"I noticed the shells at the beach were also glowing," Reinette commented. "Is it because of the sea water or the insect shells?" She was feeling off-put. Every attempt she had made to lure the Doctor's attention had failed so far. The Doctor favored her with a winning grin, nodding, and explained to them all, "The water has so much phosphorescent residue from the bugs that it affects everything in its water. From the shells to the fish ... well, not really fish, more like organisms. Small organisms. Not everything on this planet has evolved, which is why it's such a prime place for a carnival. I should warn you that these beetles-"

Slap!

Reinette had smacked a bug, leaving a phosphorous smear on her arm. The Doctor stared at her in shock as he finished, "are considered rare and are protected. Intentionally crushing one can result in death or life imprisoned." Those around them who had seen what Reinette had done gasped in horror, moving away as three tall guardians in black plate moved around the group. "Wait," the Doctor tried to interject, hands spread out. "Wait, she didn't realize. She's not even from this galaxy. It can be considered an accidental crushing."

There was a buzz as the guardian scanned Reinette from head to toe. "By the signacode 2-47 protection act, this human willfully destroyed a rare glowphoid beetle. She will be detained and put to trial." They hauled Reinette up to clasp her arms together in a thick tube. She shrieked as she was hoisted up by her arms, another device placed around her waist. "You have been arrested," the guardian told her. "If you attempt to leave the moon or try any form of escape, your arms will be cut off and your pelvis crushed. You will follow us or be destroyed immediately."

"Doctor, what do I do?" Tears streamed along Reinette's face as she was prodded along from the crowds. He hurried along after her, trying to get the guardians to speak to him. Neither responded to his attempts. Finally, he fell back beside Reinette, assuring her, "Don't say anything at all. I will get you out of this, I promise you. We can't take you back into the TARDIS right now. It would be seen as removing you from the moon. Do as they say." He fell back to let Rose and Mickey catch up to him, his face tense with worry. "I'm going to have to let them arrest me. Otherwise, she's going to do something else stupid, I just know it."

"You don't have to do it. I could let them arrest me instead," Rose offered.

He stared at Rose long and hard, as though seeing her for the first time. A smile broke out finally as he commented, "You would do that, wouldn't you? You really are brave, Rose Tyler. I need you to do something else for me, instead." He gave her his psychic paper and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. Then he slapped at his arm to crush a bug. As before, three guardians appeared to arrest him, dragging him away from Rose and Mickey, who stood there without a word.

Once the Doctor had been taken away, Mickey asked her, "What is it that he wanted you to do?"

Rose glanced at the paper, then burst into laughter. "Learn to drive the TARDIS," she answered, lifting the paper so he could see step by step instructions to get the TARDIS moving.


	3. Imprisoned

**YAY! First review! Thank you,** **Dreamcatcher56** **:) As for what the Doctor intends to do, well... he does love and appreciate Rose. And he couldn't take Reinette out of history properly. Doesn't mean he's not a 'git' who gets caught up in a pair of pretty eyes and lose his head.**

 **RaziOUAT** **I promise I intend to carry on. I don't have much further to go, because it's meant to be short. Plus Rose is already starting to make her point of how important she is to the doctor.**

 **I went back and updated the second chapter. There were parts missing. Hopefully that will give a better explanation of why Reinette and the Doctor were both arrested. I apologize that it's so short this time. I am trying to work out the intricacies of what I want and where I want the story to go without muddling it up. Thank you for the feedback, by the way!**

* * *

Mickey angled his head as he peered at the paper. He couldn't see any instructions, only a large statement, "BUTT OUT, MICKEY!" Miffed, he complained, "I don't see what you're seeing." Rose didn't hear him. She studied the step-by-step instructions again, then grabbed his hand to pull him along, the paper pocketed at once. "I don't know how far from the Doctor this can be before I can't read it anymore," she admitted. "He's always kept it on him. For all I know, it will change to something else once we get too far. We need to hurry to the TARDIS before I forget or before they disappear. If they do, that is." She paused worriedly, eyes darting over the instructions again, and released Mickey's hand. "We have to wait until the locks are off of their arms and waist, though. This is going to be tricky. He didn't say ... ah, I see. In three hours, they should be taken in front of a court."

She was darting off before Mickey could get a question in. He grumbled as he caught up to her, both of them dashing as rapidly as they could through the crowds. "I don't get it. Some o' these bugs, they got to be stepped on or accidentally smashed. Why ain't other people put in jail?" That was a good question, one that a passing Sontaran stopped to answer. "Human girl," he addressed Mickey. "Do you not know the rules of Rasigul? The glowphoid beetle is a precious commodity here. To intentionally destroy their commodity means destruction of precious property." The Sontaran was nearly spitting in his... her? ... attempt to explain in the usual Sontaran sharp tones.

Mickey gaped at the large potato head. "I ain't a girl," he shrieked in a wavering voice. Rose rolled her eyes as she explained in a whisper, "Most Sontarans can't figure out genders. Their race all looks the same, no matter the sex." If the situation weren't so dire, she would have been laughing at his discomfort. Instead, she addressed the Sontaran. "Thank you for telling us. What if you were to accidentally step on a beetle?"

"You will not step on a glowphoid beetle, human boy! They do not land on the ground. They are only out for one day, and no more. They only land on tall, soft items." Both of them couldn't help but notice that, while a few of the beetles had landed on them, they avoided the Sontaran's rough skin. "It is very difficult to crush one."

"Intentionally," Rose added in and was given a decided scowl by the Sontaran. She had forgotten how proud and militaristic the race was. She swallowed a laugh as she toned her smile down. "Sorry, I was telling myself that. I wasn't correcting you." The Sontaran continued to scowl at her as she pulled Mickey along.

"They always have to be right about everything," she explained with a bubble of laughter.

As soon as Rose was inside of the TARDIS, she was full of activity. She was pleased to find out the instructions were still there as she pushed a set of buttons, then pushed a few levers to start the TARDIS up. She monitored their location and time as it churned, the screeching resonating through the machine. "Let's hope we don't get lost, huh?" The look Mickey gave her had her laughing again. She felt that bubbling thrill of anticipation. Was this how the Doctor always felt? If so, she understood why he was always on the run to seek out the next adventure.

* * *

Reinette and the Doctor were placed in a force field cell almost immediately. Their arms were released and the band at their waists removed. "Don't touch the wall," he warned her before the idea could even enter her mind. The cell walls cracked ominously as he swept his fingers toward themwithout making contact. "One touch and you'll feel as if lightning was playing around inside of you." She wisely kept her hands tucked to herself, barely willing to move in the small square of space. They could see others imprisoned, like they were, but they seemed more relaxed, as if they hadn't a care in the world. "They seem far too happy to be here. Doctor, what did they do," she asked with a nod at them. His attention was fixed on a wall, and she realized he had forgotten her existence. She motioned to herself. "What did I do that was so terrible?"

That drew him back. He gave her a sympathetic look as he explained, "That was my fault. I forget you're new to life outside of France. Those beetles are redeemed here. They make up everything. Intentionally killing one is a sentence of either death, a life of punishment, or manual labor for fifteen years. Since you only crushed one, it would be fifteen years of labor." Her eyes shone with tears as she balled her hands inside the volumes of her skirt. "Don't worry, that's likely not going to happen."

"Likely?!"

He shrugged, ignoring her hysterical reaction. "Well... they could always tack on other reasons to extend your term. Part of the reason Rasigul is so florid with life is there's a little bit of every alien life form here. They thrive on tourism. The fun kick there is how they entrap people into working for them. You'd be surprised how many accidental crushings become something dire in their court. You'd have thought you murdered a whole slew of ..." he stopped to make a face. "Slew... a whole slew was slewn. Not really a word. Not yet. Anyway. It's not all bad, really. They get housing, feeding, they're paid a minimal amount. Some people actually come to Rasigul to work here willingly. Others are fine with their imprisonment." He nodded at the other prisoners as he walked in a lazy circle within the barriers of the force field, studying the pale sheen of the walls with interest, face squinted up. "No way Rose is going to be able to land the TARDIS in this, is there? Too much of a charge, bet it's blocked. That's fine, we'll wait for the trial."

"Doctor, you didn't answer my question," she stated, her voice going low, filled with hurt. "What did I do that was so terrible? That you have looked at me with such cold civility and bitten at me with your words as of late?" He squirmed in discomfort at the questions. "Doctor, please. What could I have done to-"

"Nothing," he answered contritely. "Reinette, you have been a dear. I wanted to give you something new, something you never experienced before. I wanted you to see what was beyond Earth, beyond the stars even. I just ... forgot."

"Forgot what, exactly, Doctor?"

"That sometimes, it's not what you're reaching for, but who you're taking along that makes the traveling worth it." He wouldn't look at her now, his mind fixed firmly elsewhere as he said the words. Reinette understood all the same. She came up behind him to rest a hand on his shoulder. "You love her, don't you," she asked a second time. This time, he answered with a single nod.

* * *

Three hours passed and no one came for them. They watched the others being filed out to their personal demise, but Reinette and he remained behind. Something was clearly wrong. The Doctor began to pace in agitation at this point. "We should have already been taken to the trial chambers and met with the council by now. Surely they haven't forgotten us." The answer to his question came an hour later, when Rose was escorted into the holding area. At first, he thought she had been arrested. She barely glanced at him as she was led from their cell down the long line of chambers as he called out for her. Surely she wasn't angry at him for his actions? Had she see it as choosing Reinette over her again? Surely she understood that he had to be arrested - he'd have done the same for that babboon, Mickey. In his frustration, he came right to the edge of the force field without touching it, straining to watch her. She was led eventually over to where they were being held, however, though she said nothing until the chamber door was shut, the guards having left her alone with them.

"Doctor, it's time to say goodbye," she finally told him, her hands linked together. He almost did touch the field then, and only pulled away when he felt the electric heat crackling close to his palm. "Rose... are you trying to find your own way home? This far away from Earth?" He swallowed roughly, aware that it was possible. There were other ships that could make the transport through space, though not through time. She could jump from one connecting galaxy to another. It would take time, however. "Are you that angry with me that you'd actually try jumping-" He saw the gleam in her eye and felt the fool for it. "You think you're so clever," he told her as a grin slowly spread out. Of course she meant it was time for them to leave.

"Yeah, I do," she told him in return. They gazed at each other as something new moved between them. "What did you think I meant, you prat? That I'd actually leave you both here?" She pressed at a sensor, telling him, "Use your screwdriver."

"How did you even get them to bring you in here?" He dug in his pockets to find the device, but couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Easy. They think I'm your representative from Earth." She pulled the psychic paper out of her pocket, opening it for him to see. "Apparently, being this close to you, it synced up to you again. They think you're a delegate from Earth. Doesn't quite let you off. They were discussing reducing your time to seven years until I pointed out that it was against Earth's laws or something along those lines of Universal friction." She wiggled her brows at him. "Whatever it was I said, they bought it. I guess you're rubbing off on me. The TARDIS is in the council chamber right now."

"Rose, you know they'll try and stop us once we get in there. Reinette is still under arrest."

She gave him a cheeky grin, shrugging. "Yeah, I know. You think I forgot about her? I've got a plan."

He could have kissed her right then and there if the situation weren't still dire. He crouched with the screwdriver and used it to bring the field down. They both came out of the cell, Reinette reaching for his arm out of reaction. Rose noticed the movement, though she said nothing. Instead, leading them slowly through the corridors, and glanced upward from time to time, counting. At the seventh turn, she paused. "The chamber is down this left hall," she informed them. "They're in there, waiting for us. Doctor, you're cleared of all misgivings, but they want you off of the moon immediately."

"Which means I can't help her in front of the council. But you can," he realized slowly. "Oh, Rose, I ask way too much of you."

"Yeah. Guess you'll have to make it up to me sometime." The corner of her mouth curled as she slid her hands into her back pockets, looking far more relaxed than she felt. Something had shifted between them, but she couldn't say what. "I think I got a loophole. If I don't, you come get us out." She was laying trust back in his hands again, something he didn't think she'd offer to do ever again.

"Right. Soon as I go in there, I'll head straight for the TARDIS. Don't say a word until I've closed the door. I'll open the channels to see what's going on inside the chamber." He slid free of Reinette's grasp to take both of Rose's hands in his. "I wish I could help you endure this, I hope you know that. They will do vile things, it's their way of tricking the system. There's no such thing as a fair trial here."

"I already got that from the stories I read about their trials," she explained, squeezing his hands in response. "Don't worry, Doctor. You forget my mum is champion at talking someone down. I think I got her technique down by now."

"That's not the part I'm worried about," he said. As soon as the doors of the trial chambers were open, the heat nearly suffocated them. The intensity of the humidity was just as unbearable, wrapping them in wet blankets that coated their skins at once. "It's like a jungle in here," the Doctor complained. "There's a reason for that. They're going to place electros on you. They're like slugs, but they adhere to your skin and zap you with a small electric charge. Won't cause any damage, but it leaves a painful prickling sensation. The longer the electro goes, the more intense the sensation." Rose nodded and wiped at the moisture that had started to collect on her face and neck. She swept her hair up, immediately wishing for a rubber band. "They'll also likely lie, won't they? About the crime, that is. They aren't truthful, the Rasiguli."

"No, they're not. They get free work out of whomever they can, however they can. They're known for being con artists in their own right." He peered at Rose, delighted to know she had taken the time to read up on the Rasiguli law. "You always seem to surprise me, Rose Tyler."

"Yeah?" Her grin went soft, as it often did when he complimented her. How could he have forgotten that look? He sought her hands out again and answered that smile with his own, beaming at her as though she were the most brilliant possible creature he had ever known. His hands tightened around hers as he drew her closer, noticing the way her lashes fluttered along the soft upper curve of her cheeks, and the almost shy way she gazed back up to him. He knew that he had to kiss her in that moment. She smelled like sunshine and peaches and just ...fantastic. Something in the back of his mind echoed that thought as he thought about running his fingers through her damp hair. Fantastic. His amazing Rose.

"Pardon me, but what do you think you are doing?"


	4. The Council

**Again, thank you for the comments and reviews :D They are what's keeping me thriving as I go through this. I have one more chapter to go after, tying things up and such. May I say that I've truly enjoyed writing this, and I dearly hope that you have all enjoyed reading.**

* * *

"Pardon me, but what do you think you are doing?"

That was not Rose's voice, and that was not her mouth moving. He'd know, because his attention had locked firmly on it. Perturbed by the disruption, he turned his head. There, in black robes, stood the council, each with deep-set scowls on their swarthy faces. Their hair was bristled, thick, and surrounded their small round faces, and gave them an owlish expression that was increased by their wide brown eyes. Their propensity for looking dull explained so very much about their love for the splendid, shimmering beauty of the glowphoid beetles.

Rose gaped at them. "That's the council?"

The Doctor nodded. "They are. These are the true Rasiguli," he explained with a sweeping bow toward the panel of seven. So much for Rose keeping her silence in their presence until he'd gotten on board the TARDIS. By now, they were surely doubting her claim she was his representative. "Let me correct myself. These are the Rasiguli who truly run the curtains behind the show, to use a cliche. The originals, you might say. Their ancestors were the first to habitat on Rasigul centuries ago." The seven Rasiguli stared at the Doctor stiffly from their floating chairs, their long arms holding onto the curved table they sat along. No wonder the three of them had been unable to see the council. The darkness and their ability to blend into the shadows was intentional. How many foolish criminal had loosened their tongues as they waited for a council that was already sitting, and judging, in the darkness? "Right, then. I'll just be off, shall I?"

"Hold," One of the council boomed. "You are the Doctor, from Gallifrey, are you not?" He offered them a quick grin. "I am." His blood was already churning with anticipation, expecting trouble from them, though he kept a relaxed stance.

There was nothing more than that confirmation. He felt a sharp tug of disappointment as they began to rustle through papers, finally telling him, "You may leave." What was the point of being a brilliant and well known figure in time and history if people didn't make a fuss over it?

"Right then." He nodded at Rose as he moved toward the TARDIS, put out over the dismissal. "I wish you luck, Madame Representative."

The door slid shut once he was inside, leaving her to face the council, ignoring how flushed her skin had become. "Get the-"

"You might get her a glass of water," Rose interrupted them. They each looked from her to Reinette, who was turning red in the face from the weight of her skirts. "Unless you want her to pass out." None of them moved, however, until Rose set her hands on her hips. "That wasn't a suggestion. She has a corset and thick cloths on," she stated in her mother's no-nonsense tone. Reluctantly, one of the members saw to getting Reinette a glass of water. Another motioned to two chairs, which had risen from the floor, allowing each of them to sit. Reinette gladly swept into the wide seat, her skirts spread out in an attempt to cool her legs as she downed the water greedily. The lace around her shoulders and chest had dampened considerably by now, leaving Rose to fear the woman would faint.

Rose was too wary of the seat to lean back into it. Instead, she perched on the edge, ankles crossed in an attempt to look demure and professional at the same time. Hard to do in faded jeans and an old hoodie with paint streaks on it, but she reckoned she would have to make do. "You may begin," she told them, lifting her chin haughtily. She noticed that they rustled about, taken back by her demeanor.

"State your names," one of them demanded.

"Rose Tyler, representing Madame de Pompadour of France, Europe, of Earth."

Reinette offered in, "Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour of France, Europe, of Earth." She slanted Rose a terrified look, asking with her eyes if she had done the correct thing. Rose ignored her, fully focused on the council as they shifted papers about. If she could keep them from getting the electros, it was one less hurdle they would have to leap. One of them drew a page aside to read out, "Mistress of King Louis XV, of France, Earth. Known figure in French history." There was some muttering at that.

"You can see why it's imperative that she be returned to Earth, then," Rose said, leaning forward in her chair. "It would skew Earth's history timeline, and have critical effects on the whole."

"What do we care for Earth's history," bit out another of the council members. Some shifted, nodding in agreement with the question." Rose gave him a tight smile as she answered, "You should. It may draw a dark creature, one I came in contact with when I disrupted the timeline. They were trying to fix it, you see, eating time distortions. Do you really want to lure them here?" She had caught their attention, she knew. They'd all fallen silent. "No one was safe from the reapers. They devoured folks left and right until the time line was set right again. Rasigul has so many people, it would be a banquet for them if they came here."

"You have no proof that they would come here, Ms. Tyler."

She shrugged at the statement. "I don't," she agreed. "Then again, I don't have proof that they wouldn't come here, even after destroying Earth, deciding to do the same with Rasigul. They are drawn to the currents of time, and when there's a tear, they find it and they eat." She slowly swept her eyes along the council, her expression dark and demanding. "I ask again, do you really want to chance that?"

This time, it took them longer to respond to her. "R-right, well. The law says-"

"The law says that should a visitor intentionally destroy relic property of Rasigul, they will suffer punishment up to a year's time of punishment. Funny how people don't know the laws here, because they've been serving fifteen up to a lifetime. I wonder what they'd say if they ever found that law out. Because I met a Sontaran who said otherwise." She tapped a finger to her chin. "I wonder why a Sontaran would give the wrong information about a law, when they're all about being right on everything. Prideful people, the Sontarans are, wouldn't you say?"

The council was floundering now. They muttered and shifted in their chairs to the point that the seats dipped in the air, listing toward the ground to rise gradually, gracefully back up. "All the same, she did knowingly and intentionally destroy a glowphoid. They are delicate property, one we must protect. They are born beneath the ground and rise once a year to mate before they are destroyed. Their shells are precious to us."

To this, Rose nodded. "She did unknowingly destroy one, and she was immediately regretful of the action. It could be deemed an accident. After all, who is to say it wasn't?" She fixed the nearest one with a pointed smile. "I'm sure there are many who were given a sentence on an accidental crushing. After all, thick crowds during a festival, mixed in the parade. It's bound to happen often with others. Who is to say it was intentional? Witnesses could have mistaken her actions."

"Be that as it may, the witnesses and guardians in the vicinity all stated that she knowingly and willfully murdered a glowphoid beetle," the council member countered her comment, favoring her with his own grotesque smile. His teeth were needle sharp and as brown as his eyes. She had to suppress a shudder. The idea of their looking like owls was replaced by that of a deformed monkey.

"As I said, they could have been mistaken," she returned. "It happens... almost seems like it intentionally happens, doesn't it?"

They didn't like that. There was muttering amongst them. She leaned back, tapping her fingers against each other while they discussed. After nearly a minute's conjecturing, she interrupted with, "That man who just stepped into that big, blue box, he is a fierce one. You don't want to cross him. He will leave nothing behind if he has to come back to overturn your corrupt laws. Or we could take Madame de Pompadour off your hands, leave things as they are without investigating the amount of accidental arrests there are, and the neglectful abuse of the law turning a year's sentence into a fifteen year." She clicked her tongue at them in shame, giving them a mother's glare of disappointment.

Inside, however, she was frantic. Her heart was racing with a mixture of excitement and fear. Their quiet discussions had come to a halt, and they were all staring at her with ... well, she could only call it apprehension.

"You are either a great liar, Ms. Rose Tyler, or a crafty representative," the council member finally said. He or she turned their great head and murmured to each side. There were nods all about. "Very well." The council member seemed bored with the whole thing now. "We didn't even get to use the electros," the member muttered, irritated as they swept papers back together. "Go. Take her. If she returns to Rasigul, she will serve a lifetime imprisonment. This is the only warning you will receive. We do not wish to see her or you back in Rasigul. The same goes for your friend." The member pointed at the TARDIS with a wagging finger.

Rose dabbed at her face as she smiled at them. "Rest assured, we won't be coming back." She bowed her head respectfully to each of them. She waited only a fraction of a second before she tucked her arm beneath Reinette's to boost her from the chair. "Off we go. Quick now," she hissed to the other woman. "Before they find an excuse to keep us. They've turned over decisions before. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

As soon as they were inside the TARDIS, the cool of the room swept over each of them. They gasped in relief. Mickey grabbed hold of Rose to hug her fiercely. "You did it," he exclaimed in delight. "You sounded just like Jackie!"

"Yeah, well..." she extricated herself from his hug, her smile broad. She watched Reinette surge past them, rushing to her own room, likely to get out of the thick, damp garments. "It helped to read up on them. They talk big, but they get scared easy. I took over as soon as we got down to it, didn't give them a chance to start proceedings. They were bent on getting rid of us as soon as I started bringing up their laws. Didn't expect that, did they?" She tried for a discreet look around, but didn't see the Doctor. "We off already?"

"Soon as you stepped in and the doors shut," he assured her. "Doctor went off to tend to some'fing." He gave a moody look as he shifted her away from the door and down into the console room. "I thought we was going to run in there, guns blazing, to save you."

"Nah. Doctor doesn't use guns," she told him with a weak smile. The fact that he'd disappeared so soon threw her for a loop. She'd expected him to greet her with open arms, too. Where was he?

* * *

He was in Reinette's room, waiting for her, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. When she hurried into the room, tears collecting with the sweat that still dewed her pretty face, he offered, "If you'd like, we can wait to do this until after you've had a bath." Reinette stiffened as she faced him, her delicate hands fisted at her sides. She gave him such an austere look, he could understand why the king of France had fallen so completely in love with her. He'd been a little infatuated himself. "Kindly remove yourself from my chambers, Doctor," she told him coolly.

"Reinette," he sighed out. He gazed at her guiltily as he approached. "I'm so, so sorry. I went about this the wrong way from the beginning, and I put you in greater danger than you were in before. Not for your life, but for your lifetime, because I didn't think. Rose is right. I go running off into things, and I don't think about those I lo-" he swallowed the word, and corrected himself, "care about getting hurt." Her icy expression wasn't shifting, as he'd hoped it would. "I can still show you the stars, if you want, but in a much safer means."

"I do not think you are capable of showing me what I desire, Doctor."

His head angled as he studied her tight features. She was angry at him, yes, and he hated to take her back to France with that anger festering in the short time she had left. "Please," he asked. "Give me one more chance to make this up to you. As a friend," he offered. There was a small flicker of doubt, enough to give him hope to offer, "We won't even leave the TARDIS this time."

She gave a regal nod finally. "As you like. Now I must ask you again, sir, to please leave my chambers. It isn't becoming of a man to enter a woman's room when they are not familiar with each other." His brows rose at the words, but he did as commanded. She was already putting walls between them. He had deeply wounded her pride, he realized, and felt a weak tug of humor. He was prone to do that, wasn't he?

He drew the door shut behind him and turned to find Rose staring at him. Who was more shocked, he couldn't say. But it was the hurt that he saw that had him moving swiftly toward her. She was quick, though, he had to give that to her. Her door was shut and locked within the seconds it took for him to hurry toward her, trying to stop her and make her understand he was saying goodbye. Too late, he rested his hand against the cool metal, cursing himself. "Rose," he called through to her. "Please, let me explain."

He knocked at the door relentlessly, but she never answered. "Ah, you ancient fool," he growled to himself, resting his head against the door. Human pride was so delicate, but not so delicate as the heart.

* * *

She'd soaked for nearly an hour to wash away the misery. Her skin now smelled of plumeria, one of her favorites, and her hair was soft and dark gold around her shoulders once dried. She took her time with adding a hint of perfume to her skin once she'd dressed in a simple periwinkle dress that fell in folds to her knees. Each layer darkened the hue of the dress, clinging nicely to her figure. She went easy on her makeup, just enough to bring her eyes out and make their color pop. With her hair drawn up in a neat chignon, she put on the locket that held a picture of her mum and dad. She looked simple. Pretty. She certainly wasn't competing against Reinette's elegant beauty. They would have dinner together, all of them. She'd then talk to Mickey about their leaving, and say her goodbyes to the Doctor and Reinette. She would not play ridiculous games. She had promised to travel with him as long as she could, and he'd agreed that she could. She'd thought it would mean forever. With a sweep of her hand along the dress to brush out any wrinkles, she decided that forever could be as short as a couple of years.

She wouldn't be angry with him. She wouldn't yell or scream, though she wanted to. She wouldn't beg. Most of all, she wouldn't cry. She'd fooled herself again into thinking he valued her more than he truly did. He saw her as a friend, and she came to realize that she had seen that moment in the chambers as something more, because she'd wanted him to kiss her. He had clearly been showing gratitude to her for saving Reinette.

Giving herself one last look over, Rose thought she'd never looked lovelier. This would bolster her confidence in what she wanted to say. She gave the reflection a tired smile. As soon as she stepped out, it was to find the Doctor beside her door, hands digging into his thick, spiked hair and his knees drawn up. He had rested his elbows against them so that he could support the heaviness that rested on his brilliant mind. He looked like a lost man. Rose could feel her heart trembling, wishing she could comfort him. "Have a fight with Reinette," she asked him, trying for a casual tone. The Doctor lifted his head to stare at her. He didn't say a word as he climbed to his feet, pulling her in for a hug. She stiffened at the touch, but tried to play it off with a laugh. "Come on, Doctor, it wasn't all that dire, you know. You'd have rescued her if I couldn't have."

"Rose Tyler," he said thickly. "How can I ever say ...?"

She tried to ignore the hard thud in her chest as she swallowed back her nerves. "If you're trying to say thank you, then you're welcome, and that's all that needs to be said, Doctor." She drew back, but found he'd firmly grasped her hands and refused to let them go. "Doctor, it's all right."

"It's not," he told her. "It's really not." Why did he look so miserable? "You look beautiful, by the way."

It wasn't like him to compliment her that way, to be so sincere, when he was often cocky and witty, only serious when angered. He was smiles and laughter. What had broken her Doctor's hearts? "Rose, I need you to come with me. I need to show you something." As deeply as she hurt, she couldn't refuse him, not when he was hurting as well. She allowed him to draw her along the different corridors, trying not to smile as he muttered to himself in distraction. "Ah, yes!" He pressed at a door, opening it, to lead her out to a dark ocean setting with stars strewn about. "It's a perfect copy of the Beach of Perth. Little planet from the Samiz Galaxy, ages away. Not much sunlight, but the stars were amazing." The sand was soft, and the lapping sounds of the water was tranquil. She could smell flowers again, but these flowers were almost comforting, like smelling home. He pulled her down the slow decline of a dune toward the water's edge. Dark and mysterious, she wondered what else lurked in this beautiful rendition of a lost planet.

"I was going to show Reinette this," he started carefully. "I wanted her to see the stars." She stared at him hard, wondering why he was telling her this. "She doesn't see them the same way you do, as an adventure. They were an escape for her, leaving behind a world where she was constantly watched. I led her into another world where she was enslaved." Turning to face her, he admitted, "I've messed all of this up so badly, Rose, when I'm usually the one who keeps it together. I'm sorry."

She was struggling to hold onto her resolve that she wouldn't cry. Why did he have to share his misery over Reinette with her, of all people? "Doctor, I'm sure if you went to her and explained everything, she would come around," she assured him. She tried for a friendly smile. Everything felt frozen, even the muscles in her face.

"I have told her already."

"She hasn't forgiven you?"

He stared at her with that dark expression that made her heart yearn. She fought to shut off the voice crying in the back of her mind, trying to tell it that he loved Reinette. But he swept his hands along her shoulders, down her arms, taking her hands in his. "I don't care about her forgiveness, Rose. I care about yours," he told her. She swallowed as she tried to keep herself from trembling. It hurt too much to yearn, even now.

"I forgive you," she told him, and this time succeeded in smiling. She couldn't help but do so when he looked so unhappy. "You have nothing to apologize for. We got out of there safe and sound, didn't we?"

"No thanks to me. I promised your mother I would protect you, and I didn't. I left you abandoned. If it weren't for you, there's no telling what might have happened."

"You'd have saved the day, as you always do," Rose answered with a staunch nod. "You're too clever to get caught on a silly moon with silly laws. You're the Doctor."

His smile finally answered hers, his throat bobbling as he took a closer step. "What would I do without you, Rose Tyler," he asked in a hoarse voice. "Don't ever let me take you for granted again, okay?" He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to finally tell her what he'd been hoarding fearfully in her heart for so long. Her eyes dropped away from his just as he would have done so, making him hesitate. "About that, Doctor. Maybe it's time I headed home."

"You want to go home. Now?"

"Yeah. Maybe." It was hard to face him and say this. She had wanted time to figure out what it was she'd meant to say. She was off guard and fumbling, finding it difficult to stand resolute. "Maybe I've seen enough and it's time for me to head back," she tried to explain. It sounded pathetic now that the words were out of her mouth. "Mum has to be missing me by now, and Mickey ... well, he's not cut out for this life, either."

He shook his head adamantly, frustrated that she'd consider leaving now, of all times. "You've only seen the tip of the stars, and you want to go home now? Rose, I thought you wanted to travel forever with me. I have so much more I want to show you."

Did she have to spell it out for him? How could she endure being around him while Reinette hung on his every word, clinging to his arm, doting on him as he would on her. Sharing that smile of his with Madame de Pompadour. Kissing her. Hugging her. Rose pulled her hands free of his as jealousy and hurt balled tight in her stomach. "I can't," she told him. "I can't share you like that. I'm sorry."

"Like what? With who?" He gave her an incredulous look.

"With her," she answered, bringing her hands up when he'd reach for her again. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I'm trying so hard to be strong about this." His expression cleared almost immediately as he laughed in relief, which set her on edge. "Don't laugh at me, either."

"No, I would never laugh at you... Rose Tyler, my incredibly brave, amazing human. Do you think for one second I could face those stars without you beside me? Do you think it'd be the same without you there? I may be centuries old, but even I can make mistakes. I left you abandoned in the dark again and again, when I should have known better. I broke your trust when I needed your faith in me the most. You've kept by my side when others would have left me. You're stronger and more resilient than most people I've known." He wiped at her cheek when he saw the tears streaming down. It was hard to say the words, but he hoped she could read them in his eyes. "Rose Tyler...," he whispered, closing the distance between them. Their mouths met, eager and searching, finding the answers that each of them had sought from each other for too long.


	5. A Week's Vacation

**EEP! It's been over a week and I'd meant to post this sooner. Life got superbly busy last week and ... well, you know how it goes. I thought this would be the last chapter, but it seems I have just a little more in me. So if you'll all bear with me for one more post after this, we may just have a short story done and finished.**

 **Thanks to everyone who has followed along with me and given me encouraging words through this. I keep writing because I feel like you guys are there as my support :)**

* * *

They stayed there in the dark beauty of the room for hours, lost in each other as new lovers often are. When they finally emerged to seek out food, more due to Rose's insistence than his, they couldn't help but touch each other. Little strokes here and there, revealing their comfortable familiarity with each other. As they entered the kitchen, the Doctor was drawn in so she could nip another kiss from him. Then another. It was the disgusted, "Do you gotta do that right there," that had her drawing back from a third kiss. She sent an embarrassed glare toward Mickey, her cheeks warm with color.

The Doctor, on the other hand, looked pleased. "Ahh, what's the matter, Mickey? Don't tell me you're bored already," he prompted as he led Rose in, one arm looped around her waist. Mickey's eyes flickered to the arm, then to Rose. "Ain't bored," he muttered sulkily. "I just fink I ought to be able to eat myself a sandwich wi'out you two coming in here, all snug and happy again. Puts me off my appetite. Like we didn't see enough of that with you and Reinette."

Rose could have slapped Mickey for the jealous lash. It was beneath even him, and she almost bit at him in response. The Doctor put a suppressive hand on her shoulder as he suggested, "Why don't you and Rose have a sandwich together, then? I'll go find Reinette, see if she'd like to join us for a meal. Then I have a plan for the four of us." In a softer voice, he told Rose, "He needs to get this off his chest. Talk with him. I won't be long." He gave Mickey a pointed look, all smiles as he left the two of them there in an uncomfortable silence.

The two humans shared a look of disgust, both disgusted with the other. As Rose made herself a nice, thick-sliced sandwich with roast beef and crisps, Mickey let his jealousy churn up inside of him while he watched her every move. Finally, he'd had enough. "You just going to let him walk over you again? After all he done with Reinette?"

"It's not like that anymore, Mickey. We cleared things up between us."

"Until the next time," he retorted, his fist banging against the counter. "Until he finds some next pretty thing and he moves on without you. You know he will."

She shook her head in answer, slowly turning around and leaning against the long line of counter, hands perched on the edge. "He loves me," she told him. Mickey shook his head, so she repeated, "He loves me," with emphasis. "We talked, Mickey. We cleared things up." She wanted to ask him why he couldn't be happy for her, but that small dredge of guilt in knowing he still harbored unrequited feelings for her stopped her tongue. So, instead, she offered him a weak smile. "Besides, I still got enough of my mum in me to keep that head from turning too far."

Mickey almost smiled back at her. She was back, he realized gloomily. She was relaxed, happy, in love. "Yeah, well..." he let the thought go. On a shrug, he went back to viciously devouring his sandwich. When Rose sat beside him, he ignored her in favor of swigging down a Swisgoid soda. They'd become his favorite in the time he'd been on the TARDIS - like drinking a bit of every possible soda on Earth without the sugar. Rose was staring at him with unease while she nibbled on a crisp, waiting for him to either continue his thought or to resume the argument. No matter what happened, they were still good mates, and he'd always have her back. So, with a wipe of his hands on his pants, he muttered, "He loves you, then. I guess that's good, right? You going to keep on traveling with him, then?"

She nodded, finally relaxing and taking a bite of her sandwich. It gave her a chance to consider her words before speaking. "I didn't think I was going to. I thought I needed to find the next big adventure on Earth. The thing is, Mickey, I'm in love." He snorted, looking away, until she touched his arm. "With this," she explained. "Not just the Doctor, but this ... seeing life I never thought existed, going to places I never imagined. Did you know that there's a planet that's made of song? You touch things and it literally churns up flowing melodies. You'd think it would be beautiful, but it's really annoying after a time. There's a planet full of wings. Creatures just covered with wings because the ground is dangerous to touch, unless you know how to step." There was a gleam in her eye again. He studied her with a trace of sadness, finally letting go of the idea that she'd ever come back home and settle for a mundane life. Rose always had wanted more, and was always a curious sort. Maybe that's why she got into the trouble she often did.

"So, what's this plan the Doctor's got for us, anyhow," he asked, suddenly eager to change the topic. "We're not going off to some other moon resort or something like 'at, are we?"

"Dunno. He didn't tell me what he had in mind. He just said we would enjoy it."

* * *

What he had in mind was apparently a visit with the Markees, an ancient culture of pale gray skin with striking silver eyes. Their whole world was pale, muted colors. They made up for this with elegant garb made of such vivid colors, it could make the eyes water. Reinette took to them quite well. They had impeccable manners that she could accommodate to. Even their garments drew her interest. She was soon deep in conversation over tea, which the Doctor had wisely made, and sharing news of intrigue and gossip over people that neither side could know.

The Doctor watched the interaction with some amusement as he told Rose, "I should have thought to come here sooner. People sometimes say they want to see the stars, but what they really want is their own world." He glanced at her, brow arched. "Then there are the others."

She caught her tongue between her teeth as she shared a grin with him. "Yeah? What others would that be?"

"Oh, you know." He squinted at the arched ceiling, ignoring Mickey's snort. He may have forgiven Rose, but Mickey was still very much in competition with the Doctor, and he was making it known. "The adventurous who takes every surprise thrown at them and goes with it. The kind that grab a stranger's hand and let him lead her to the ends of the universe, and then back again without blinking an eye." He reached for her hand. "They're my favorite kind." Again he heard Mickey's responding nasal complaint. With a good natured look at their third wheel, he added in, "You should ask them about the sports they play here. Might be there's something you have in common."

"They play sports here," Mickey asked him with disdain. "What is it they play? Croquet?"

"Well, it's not like they don't play croquet. They also play ooblog - it's kind of like checkers but with fighting live on a board. Crowning your king is a messy ordeal, let me tell you." He drew in a slow breath as he set into listing off the different sorts of games that the Markees played, finishing it off with, "The intriguing thing about them is they like to borrow from other cultures. They read a great amount on Earth. Their idea of playing ball games is to mesh them all together." He was enjoying that annoyed confusion playing on Mickey's face by this time. Rose was trying to hold back her laughter, too. She could tell Mickey wasn't certain if the Doctor was teasing him or not. Finally, the Doctor said, "They have a football match going, too. Not as bloody as the kind played on Earth, but that's because the Markees can jump higher and have levitation field." He pointed down a stone pathway. "Care to check it out?"

"I... I don't know that I should," was the reluctant reply. After all that had happened on Rasigul, leaving Rose behind seemed to be the last thing Mickey wanted to do. But at the same time ... floating football? Did they kick the ball through the air, he wondered.

"Oh, go on, Mickey. You're fine. If the Doctor says it's safe, then it's safe," Rose told him. She recognized that worried expression, but she couldn't be bothered with it, not this time. She wanted this privacy, needed it, just a little down time with the Doctor where they could explore to their hearts' content without any mayhem ... not yet, anyway. "You can fill us in about it later." With a wiggle of her brows, she tucked her arm through the Doctor's and let him lead her away. Mickey stared after them with such a sullen look, she almost expected he would follow after them. But the thrill of the game won out, and he wandered off down the path with his hands tucked into his pockets, shoulders hunched forward to enhance his surliness.

"He's going to be a pill when we get back, isn't he?"

Rose glanced behind her, then up to those amazing brown eyes and answered, "Might be. He's mad at you still, which I understand."

The Doctor rested his hand on hers, then folded his fingers around hers to pull her closer as he asked, "And you? Are you still angry with me?"

She paused to study him, noting his concern. It was nice to let him worry just a little. Finally, though, she shook her head. "No, I'm not. Not anymore. I know how you are, and I like that about you. Always going off wild into trouble. Always showing off." She gave him a cheeky grin, then rose to press a kiss to his lips. "Always saving the day, that's the Doctor. I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Next time, I swear, I'll get us lost on some hairbrained scheme cooked up by a mad doctor, or maybe we can go back in time to visit Frankenstein."

Her brows shot up in surprise. "Wait, Frankenstein exists? Does that mean the monster is real, too?"

"Hah, no... no. Frankenstein did have some wild ideas about the human body and how to bring life about, but nothing as insane as that," he assured her, leading her back along the path.

* * *

When evening came, they left with warm farewells for their hosts. Reinette's cheeks were blooming with warm color again, and she even deigned to address the three of them as she entered the TARDIS again. Mickey had won a few bets, been allowed onto the field to play a few games, and had shown some of the Markees a few dance moves they'd never learned before. He had been a star! As soon as he was back on board, he was bubbling at the mouth, telling Rose every little play by play as he could. She laughed with him and teased his horrible dance skills. The Doctor and she shared a quick grin as they both remembered a time not long ago when he'd swept her up in a dance.

He set the coordinates for France, then pulled the lever to start the TARDIS up, knowing that the mayhem was at an end. They would see Reinette safely home, where she would be free of clockwork for the rest of her life and would live a comfortable, happy existence on the arm of the King. Then they could bring Mickey back to his time and stop off a few days for Rose to share everything with Jackie. Might be best he didn't go in to visit with her. He didn't want to get slapped. Besides, the next great adventure he was wanting to ask Rose on needed some planning beyond a copied beach dimension. He slanted the young woman a quick look, pressing a few buttons to bring a monitor up. He wondered how she would feel about a Gallifreyan ceremony.

Jackie had heard the screech of the TARDIS from her kitchen window. She'd been in a foul mood, having to clean up after her last boyfriend, who was a bit of a prat and a messy eater, if she did say so herself. She'd been glad to tell him off. Her hands were still soapy as she rushed down the stairs to eagerly greet her daughter. The blue box had just materialized when the door opened for Rose to rush out and greet her. They clung to each other, as they often did. Mickey watched them for a moment more, then turned to the man whom he finally accepted had replaced him. "How soon you two going off again," he asked. The Doctor shrugged and rested his shoulder against the doorway, watching as the two women giggled and rushed on about what had happened in their time away. "I guess this is goodbye then, Doctor."

Mickey held his hand out for a shake. As the Doctor took his hand, Mickey warned him, "You treat her right from now on. You do right by her, or I'll find some way to make you sorry."

Solemn, the Doctor shook his hand, then released it. "I promise, I will treat her right. Even Timelords learn from hindsight." Mickey gave him an odd frown, as if he couldn't fully understand what the Doctor meant. The Doctor, however, was unwilling to explain further. "You might want to get in your goodbyes with Rose, too. She knows I'm going to be gone for a week, so you have time with her."

"But you are coming back."

"I'm coming back." He saw the sadness mix with frustration and understood that Mickey would always wait for Rose, friend or lover. "Just a week. I'd never abandon her."

It hurt to say it, hurt even more to realize it, but Mickey stated, "Because you love her."

The Doctor rolled his eyes and smirked as he commented, "Everyone seems to know it, don't they?" When Mickey glared at him, he finally answered, "Yes! It'd be nice if I could say the words to her without everyone else banding them around for me, though." He waited for Mickey's shoulders to relax before commenting, "That's why I want the week to set things together. She needs time with her Mum and you, and I need to make this right. She may have forgiven me for that whole mess with Reinette, but I haven't forgiven myself fully."

Mickey shrugged in discomfort. "Yeah... well..." He tried to look for a scathing comment, but couldn't find anything to respond with. "Yeah," he finally stated, trying his best to sound tough and instead coming out with a quiver. He realized he sounded the fool and had no way to recover from it. So, he gave the Doctor a glare of uncertainty before plodding off down the street. The Doctor gave the younger man a pitying look. It was hard to contend with intimidation.

"Doctor," came the sharp, needling voice of the only woman to intimidate him. He tried for a congenial smile at best. "Hello, Jackie!" Here it comes ... a huge argument over leaving Rose behind again. He'd been dreading this.

She plowed her sharp nail into his chest, eyes blazing as she demanded, "You've been gone for five months this time. I thought you were only going to be two. That's what you promised me." He rubbed at the area she'd dug at as she continued her tirade against him. The temptation to shut the door with a snap and just dematerialize was superbly strong. "Now, Jackie..."

She fixed him with a stern look that had his tongue drying up. "Don't you Jackie me, you big, dumb alien. At least you brought her back in one piece." She surveyed Rose critically. "You didn't bring me back a changeling, did you?" Rose tried to hide her grin in response as Jackie continued to needle the Doctor. His eyes begged Rose for mercy. When she felt he'd had enough, she set her arms around her mum's waist and said, "I promise I'm 100% human this time, Mum. Really, everything was all right. Let's go upstairs, yeah? Have a nice cuppa. The Doctor has some stuff to do anyway."

Grimacing, he ruffled his hair up, perplexed and annoyed at the way the older woman made him feel like some gawkish young man again. He had to wonder how she'd react to the idea of her daughter doing more than simply taking off with him. His grimace widened into a pained smile. He was suddenly doubly grateful he'd left Rose to her mum for a stay. She had a better chance of handling her mother by the time he'd come back.

* * *

As promised, tea had been brewed and was laced heavily with sugar, just the way Jackie preferred. Rose clung to her cup as tears clung to her thick lashes, bottom lip trembling. She had gone over the terrible ordeal with her mother and had worked her way up to Reinette's coming on board. Jackie had been vehement in her dislike of both the woman, even though she knew nothing of her. Bit by bit, Rose's tears had dried as she described the carnival, then the parade, where Reinette had gotten herself in trouble. It was when Rose explained the Doctor's intent to get himself arrested that she had to stop. The look in her mother's eye was murderous. "You mean he left you alone again?"

"Yes, but... Mum, it was different this time." By the look on her mother's face, it seemed that didn't matter. She'd been abandoned again. Her precious, only child had been left behind in the Doctor's need to rescue the French mistress. "He had to help her. He's just that sort. Besides, he told me what to do."

"After last time? When you brought that shaky box of his back and we had to yank the doors open, he let that happen? I'm not so sure that idiot of yours has a brain in his head, sweet'eart. He doesn't think."

"No, Mum, it's that he thinks too much. I can't expect him to think of me all the time." Rose toyed with the edge of her shirt, more troubled than she cared to admit. He said he was leaving for five days. What if he really was leaving her behind, though? What if he'd decided to make a wash of everything in the end? That night on the beach had been fantastic, so surely he wouldn't just up and leave again. Right? "He just needs ... time."

Jackie snorted at that. "Him needing more time. It's you that's needing to think clear, not him. I'm just glad he brought you back to me if he has gone off again."

"It's not like that," she told her mother, almost pleading. A headache was forming behind her eyes now. Too much crying and the stress of the whole ordeal was finally catching up to her. "Mum, I love him." She rubbed at her temples, then closed her eyes and slumped into her mother's arms. Jackie stroked her hair from her face tenderly, sharing that pang of heartache her daughter endured. "I know you do, sweet'eart. But you have to think ahead, if he doesn't come back."

"I don't want to think about that. He will come back." But that niggling doubt was there now. It warred with what her heart was telling her - that he loved her too, even if he hadn't said it. "Can we not talk about that part? Tell me about your latest chap. What was he like? Why did he leave?" She let her mother's voice flow over her as Jackie went into a lengthy diatribe about why Charlie was such an idiot and why had she ever been interested in him? She rested her head on her mum's shoulder and let her mind stray to wherever the Doctor was, wishing she hadn't agreed to a week, wishing she could know firmly that Sarah Jane's prediction wouldn't come true. Wishing, most of all, that he'd told her he loved her.


	6. The Last Goodbye

It didn't take one, but two weeks. Rose endured them as well as she could, but the pitying glances Jackie would give her would set her off in either anger or misery. Mickey didn't help, either, by bumbling along about how he was sure the Doctor had just gotten lost. "Ain't like he's gone and picked up another Madame de Pompadour, is it?" Whether he was intentionally needling her or trying to reassure her, Rose couldn't say. She did know that she became superbly active in helping her mum about the house more, and going about to see newly acquired friends. Finally, it was too much for her and twelve days after the Doctor had gone, Rose found herself searching out Sarah Jane.

The older woman was all grace and warmth when Rose called her up. "The thing is, I'm hanging around here with my mum and Mickey, and neither really know what it's like to be with him," Rose explained to her.

"No. No one really does know him unless they've been in that mad box of his for some time." There was sympathy in the soft voice, but it settled Rose. "Why don't you come by my house this afternoon? We'll have a cup, share some stories. It's never quite as nice to reminisce as it is with someone who truly knows him, you know." Sarah Jane gave her directions to the small brick home, and that's how Rose found herself tucked away in the breakfast nook at a gateleg table, sipping jasmine tea, and eating petit fours with the woman whom she'd once deemed a contestant for the Doctor's affections. Their conversation was, at first, stilted. Sarah Jane may have grown beyond her love for the wayward Gallifreyan, but there was still that scar of pain he'd placed behind on her heart. Rose was aware and uncomfortable with causing her further pain any more than she cared to wallow in her own misery.

Instead, she asked for stories of the man she never knew. The man with the beak nose and wild, curly hair, with his lengthy scarf. "Oh, he'd make me so angry! You can't know how much..." Sarah Jane studied Rose affectionately. "Actually, I'm sure that you can. I doubt his stubborn tendencies have changed all that much."

"No, they haven't at all," Rose agreed on a laugh. "He's still so confident, so sure of himself, even when he knows he's got it wrong."

Sarah Jane joined in on the humor as she asked, "What, do you mean he admits it now?"

"We-e-ell... I wouldn't put it that way." She leaned back, cup held between her fingertips lightly. "He catches on to his mistakes for the most of it, but there are times you can call him out, and he looks at you with that look..." She grinned behind the rim of her cup. "Like he set it up just for you to figure out, and he's so proud of you for finally catching up with that small brain of yours."

"That's him, all right," Sarah Jane sighed. "He was always one for showing off his skills. He always knew what to do and what to say. It wasn't often that we were caught unaware." Rose felt that tug of doubt, then and there. It must have shown on her face, too, because Sarah Jane reached over to touch her hand. "What is it? What has he done this time?"

As much as it embarrassed her, Rose began to sniffle. "I feel stupid for it, now. Especially after he and I ..." She didn't care to finish the though, for fear it would upset Sarah Jane, but the woman was more intuitive than Rose had given her credit for. Sarah Jane finished the thought for her by stating, "You're lovers." Rose nodded, shifted in her seat, and explained, "We'd had troubles, you see. He took Madame de Pompadour out of her time to show her the galaxies. Things didn't go as planned."

Sarah Jane squeezed Rose's hand. "They never do, not with him." Rose felt herself relaxing again under the other woman's comforting touch, and so continued. "This was no different, not really," she said. "He was so busy fighting off clockwork men to save her that he forgot Mickey and me on some lost space ship." When she noticed Sarah Jane's reaction, she hurriedly stated, "He came back. Took him five hours, but he finally came back. Thing is, then he brought Reinette... er, Madame de Pompadour on board. It was excruciating. He utterly forgot about me and threw himself all over her." Her voice cracked. Bolstering herself, Rose swept at her eyes, and said, "It took him some time to come back around to me, to remember me. And it was lovely, what happened, but then he dropped me off and said he needed to see to something. He's elusive about what he's doing. It scares me. Mum keeps saying he won't come back, and I'm scared that she's right."

Sarah Jane withdrew her hand in order to select a petit four, one with a rose blossom formed on top in delicate pink petals. She slid it onto Rose's plate, then selected one for herself. It pained her to see the younger woman in pain, because it echoed the same emotions she'd struggled with years before, as well. "Do you remember what I told you? Some things are worth getting your heart broken for. It may be the time has come to separate, maybe not. Only he knows that, Rose."

"But I'm not ready."

"Neither was I." With passion lighting her eyes, her voice, making her expressive suddenly, Sarah Jane told her, "I waited by my window day after day, waiting to see that box or to hear it bring him back to me. I was certain that he would come back some day. It took ages for me to accept that he wasn't truly coming back. I looked in the mirror one day to see wrinkles forming around my eyes, and do you know what I told myself? It was worth it. I still had those memories of him burning in my mind and heart for all the rest of my life. It was time for me to move on, though, and realize he was never going to come back into my life."

There was a sinking sensation in Rose's stomach. "What are you trying to say, then?"

"I'm saying that we wait for him endlessly, because of the impact he has on our lives. We wait to see if he's remembered us." There was a spark of jealousy and longing as Sarah Jane gazed at the younger woman, a wistful sigh rising out of her. "He remembered you, Rose. Even in the face of another interesting, pretty woman, he remembered you. And even if he can't return, keep that close to heart. He doesn't mean to break ours, really. It hurts him more to leave us as he does, but he continues on in his solemn way."

"I don't want him to continue without me," Rose responded hotly. "I want to be there with him as long as I can, until the end of my time."

"I'm sure you do. I know I did. I thought I could go on forever with him."

Rose sank back down into the seat, and into despair. Everyone thought he was leaving her. Did that mean he was truly gone, then? Had she been a fool to think they'd last as long as a human lifetime? Tears built up and were swept away briskly. "H-he told me that he watches us grow old, but he can't grow old with us. That's his curse. It hurts him to see us leave him. So that's why he leaves us." She twisted the edge of her shirt between her fingers as the tears continued to streak along her cheeks. "He's not coming back, is he?"

It hurt to be cruel, and it hurt to give hope. No matter what Sarah Jane did, she would be injuring Rose. "You know him, Rose, better than I do now. Once upon a time, I'd have said there's not a cruel bone in his body. I don't think that's true anymore. I think the war changed him, made him more cautious. At least, that's what I took when I talked with him. He knows he's going to lose you, and he may have already begun to let go."

The drive back from Sarah Jane's was long and miserable. A light rain had begun, turning everything grey and bleak. It fit Rose's mood wonderfully. The quiet storm had nearly abated by the time she'd returned to her Mum's flat. As soon as she'd parked the car, she linked her hands over the steering wheel, and braced herself for a good cry. It hurt deep. She'd only just established that feeling of trust, and in two weeks, her family and friends had destroyed it again completely. She swiped at her cheeks once the worst of the emotional brew was over. They'd had one incredible, unforgettable night, and a lifetime worth of memories to go along with it. She wouldn't let go of that.

But it hurt to let go of him.

Not wanting to face her mother with a tear-streaked face, she opted to walk the sidewalk, arms tucked tight against herself and the rain dampening her hair. She focused on thoughts of his face and his quick smile, his warm, brown eyes, and the way his hair would ruffle up when his fingers would comb through it. She was so concentrated in her misery that she didn't understand that the soft whirring noise barely made it through her subconscious at first. The familiar sound didn't fully register until she was almost on top of the TARDIS. It finished its materialization and the door swung open to a grinning Doctor, whose arms were wide open.

"Doctor!"

She rushed at him, grateful, heart rushing as her mouth collided with his. It was hard to say whose arms were tighter around the other. He drew her in without breaking the kiss, luxuriating in the warm smell of her, the silky softness of her damp hair along the edges of his hand, and the sweet taste of her mouth. When he did finally pull back, his smile instantly moved into a frown of concern. "You've been crying." He brushed one of the fat tears from the edges of her eyelashes. "Why have you been crying?"

With those words, the misery built up to release yet again. She clung to him as she fought back the tide of tears, her words choked as he held her firmly. In stutters and in between gulps for air, she admitted all those fears that had brewed up while he'd been away. Now that he was here, though, they all seemed silly. But they affected him strongly, and had he not already been resolute in his plans, her words would have finalized his intent. "I feel stupid for listening to them," she said with a watery laugh, her hands now tucked into his. He drew her back against the railing, one arm sliding around her waist as she tucked her head against his shoulder. "I should have trusted my heart."

"Well, your heart's bruised, and after having all that doubt crushing against it, it's no wonder that you gave into it," he reasoned. "I don't mind working to build your trust up again, Rose. I shouldn't have lost it to begin with, but I did." He ran his hand along her arm gently, his attention fixed on the console as his mind flickered through his painful past. "I've stopped trusting in a lot of things in all my years. It hurts, really, letting go. But it hurts more to keep holding on. I've learned to let go with more ease than I have to hold on. And it's a rare instance that I'd let my hearts get bruised by doing so."

This wasn't the way he wanted to do it. Not here, not in this room, surrounded by memories of so many others. He wanted this to be their moment, his and Rose's alone. No bad thoughts or troubles. His fingers found their way beneath her chin, lifting her mouth to his. "Come with me?" When he smiled at her, his eyes warmed, and her heart felt as though it would never stop tumbling about. She nodded her agreement. Instead of his brisk pace, he strolled with her along the corridors, leading her down to one room that only he'd entered as long as he'd had the TARDIS. It had been his own private sanctity through out the centuries, and it felt right that only Rose be allowed to enter now. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as she moved around the room. There were pictures of family, memories that he'd had created in 4-d form. His wife and children, grandchildren. There was Susan set apart with her dark hair and vivid eyes. Rose roamed around each of them before turning to gaze at him questioningly. He explained, "This is my life, Rose. These are the people I left behind in one way or another. You think it's just humans that I've left, but it's not. I ran away from my home world and only returned when there was a war. I avoided everything in my life. It's all I've ever done is run."

He reached out for her hand, his thumb stroking into her palm. "And I dragged you along with me," he continued wearily. "Led you into my life and now ... now I can't seem to run anywhere without wanting you there. You are my life." His throat worked heavily as he struggled with the three words. Rose shook her head, trying to cut him off by stoppering his mouth with a kiss. He was adamant, though. He'd have his say. Taking her shoulders, he drew her back enough to gaze down into her damp eyes. "I love you." There was a sense of relief as soon as they came out. Smiling down at her, he drew her in so his chin could nestle atop her head. "I love you, Rose Tyler, and if I'm going to run, I want you running at my side for as long as possible"

Everything tumbled inside of her. Her heart swelled and her stomach heaved. She wrapped her arms tight around his waist as her head buried itself into his chest. Her Doctor. He loved her. He had finally said the words that she'd convinced herself she'd never need to hear. He held her close, brushing his fingers through her hair tenderly until she'd gone quiet again. Then, and only then, he drew her away to brush the tears from her cheeks. "I don't want to make you doubt me again. I never want to break your trust. There's only one way I know to do that. Marry me, Rose."

Jackie gazed down at the TARDIS with a mingled sense of relief and sorrow. She knew his return would mean losing Rose again. She always wanted her daughter's happiness, no matter what. A part of her wanted to believe that the Doctor would move along, but she knew at the same time that he couldn't stay away, try as he might. She sipped at her tea as tears glistened. "You should be here for this, Pete," she told the empty room. "You'd have liked him. As crafty as you are, head in the clouds." She watched her grown daughter pull at the rangy man in his brown overcoat, both grinning in elation. And knew what was to come. "You should be here so we can tell our Rose goodbye together. Who knows where that stupid man of hers is going to take her next?"

* * *

 **I'm sorry that this took so long to finish. Life has been an utter bear. This isn't fully how I wanted to end it, but I wanted it to have a happy ending... Maybe someday I will actually write the ceremony, but when and if I do, I want it elaborate! They deserve elaborate. I hope y'all enjoyed reading this. I have enjoyed revisiting their romance.**


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